The Ultimate Len Tsukimori Guide
by Pathetic Rainbow
Summary: Chapter Ten: "It doesn't matter. It's not like you can change the past, right? Just—enjoy right now, okay? We're friends. You and me against the world if you want to." / Updatedd! :D
1. Prologue

**The Ultimate Len Tsukimori Guide**. Wow. Imagine that, me writing a so-called guide to Tsukimori-kun. Ha! If you're thinking that I'm some sort of fan or whatever you call it of his who's writing this just so she –or maybe even he- could gain Tsukimori-kun's attention, then you're wrong. I'm writing this little guide so that I won't fail Kakeru-sensei's class. And well, I am just so unlucky, aren't I? I mean, why do I have to be assigned to the walking and talking ice cube? Oh, wait—he doesn't even talk. But I_ will _find out why he does that. I swear on my last name that that's just a façade or some sort just so people won't come near him! And my goal is to find out why he puts that wall or barrier of some sort up; or something like that.

Well, here goes nothing. Wish me luck on this small project of mine. I just hope that this doesn't make me some sort of Amou-san, an intensely snoopy journalist. My mission is actually just simple: find out more about Tsukimori-kun without being too disturbing then write a guide about him. If I fail, then I'll fail Kakeru-sensei's class. And if I fail one class, my mom will kill me. I'm not exaggerating. She _will _kill me.

I don't get it, though. Out of all of the people I have to "spy" on, why does it have to be Tsukimori-kun, the hardest person to crack? Couldn't it just be the other, nicer people from the other classes? Like Ryoutaro-kun, maybe?

Luck just isn't on my side. Well, who said it was on my side to begin with? Luck had a thing for playing with my life. And fate was far more cruel.

Yes, fate was _far_ more cruel.


	2. Failed Attempts

**Day 1 = Failed Attempts**

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**

I don't get it. I really, really, really don't get it. Why me? Why did it have to be me? I mean, I've always been good. I obeyed everyone—to the point of almost being a slave. I always helped people in need. Heck, I even saved cats from trees! But—why? Why do I get stuck with the ice cube, Len Tsukimori?

--

"Hi! I'm Kahoko Hino and I want to be your friend!" I said smilingly, offering one of my hands to shake. _No response._

"Err- hey. I was wondering why you were so lonely and I- well, I wanted to accompany you so that you…" I frowned a bit there; I can't say that. Well, not in that way. _Err…still no response._

"Uh- hello? My name is Kahoko Hino and from now on, I am your friend!" I smiled my biggest possible smile this time—if you could call it a smile. I was practically gritting my teeth out of frustration by now!

"Damn it! I'm Kahoko and can't you at least respond to anything that I'm saying!?" I shouted at the top of my voice. Not taking it any longer, I threw my shoe at the _thing_ I was talking to…

…_a mirror_.

This obviously won't work.

I turned and saw my older sister gaping at the scene that just happened. "U-um, you're going t-to be late, Kaho-chan," she said, stuttering. "I think that I'll… go now. Uh- Sore dewa!"

"Ah, ane! I didn't do-" I shouted from the stairs… _no response._

I banged my head on the wall.

This really, really, _really_ won't work.

--

"Kaho-chan!" I heard Mio and Nao shout from near the huge fairy statue in front of the school.

"Hey, guys!' I replied back, waving my right hand at them. _Mio and Nao_. Ah, my best, best friends in the whole world since middle school! They were exactly what I needed right now… "How are you two?"

"Err- shouldn't we be asking that question to you, Kaho-chan?" Nao said, suddenly appearing over my right shoulder. "Yeah! What happened to your head? Where did that… bump thing come from?" Mio said, pointing to the small bruise on my forehead. Like Nao, she suddenly appeared over my left shoulder.

"It's nothing." I laughed it off loudly, earning me weird stares from random students. "Anyways, who did you get for Kakeru-sensei's project?"

"I got the absolutely cute Tadaaki-kun!" Mio squealed, twirling her short light-brown hair—if it can be twirled, that is; she and Nao were like twins with boy-cut hairs.

"Tadaaki?" Nao asked, looking at Mio confusedly, poking the red cheeks of her brunette reflection.

"Tadaaki who?" I asked the same, giggling a bit because of Mio's blushing face.

"Tadaaki Dainichi from class 2D; plays the double bass. Plus, incredibly cute!" Mio burst out, blushing some more. Nao and I laughed some more, causing more attention. "Nice, Mio," I commented, trying to stifle majority of my loud fits of laughter.

"Ha, I got Mai Tsugawa," Nao said uninterestedly. "She's from Class 2D, too, I think."

"Isn't she one of Yunoki-senpai's bodyguards?" Mio asked in a worried tone. "And I heard she can be a bit violent sometimes, especially when there are other girls getting close to her _Azuma-sama_…"

"I'll live." Was Nao's curt response while brushing off her dark gray bangs from her forehead. "Oh, okay." I sweat-dropped at Nao. "I guess some people are just really that lucky," I mumbled and sighed. _Maybe some people are just really that lucky…_

"Why, Kaho-chan? Who did you get?"

Ah. Who did I get again? I think I forgot already… not. How could I possibly not remember who I got for the class project? We're talking about the damned ice cube here! He may be extremely talented and well, err—handsome…? I did not just think that. Anyways, even though he's what I just though, he is also a big jerk. A very, very, very rude jerk that no one likes. Yeah, that's it! He's an ultra rude, brash, insensitive jerk! He is! He is! He is—

"Kaho?" Nao snapped her fingers in front of my eyes. "Earth to Kahoko?"

"Uh, Len Tsukimori." I said quickly before walking in a fast rate. Sure, I didn't know him personally, but do I really have to work on some robot? The thought was frustrating! "We're going to be late; I'll go ahead now. See you two in class!"

I wonder how I'll ever get through life like this.

--

"So, Class, you all have one month to finish your project. By then, you must have finished your written report and your final report," Kakeru-sensei said to us. "Your written report will consist of your experience and your so-called guide to the person you got," he continued.

Kami-sama, this is so boring.

"I'll dismiss you now so all of you can get a start on your project," I heard Kakeru-sensei say before he left the classroom. Gosh, he's making everything harder, isn't he? I stood up to fix my things when Kakeru-sensei peeked back into the classroom and eyed me. "Oh, and may I have a word with Kahoko Hino outside?"

Why can't he just leave me alone? This was getting a bit tiresome already! Kami-sama, Kakeru-sensei is killing me because of this project!

I walked towards the open door where the other students were also exiting. Outside, leaning on the frame of the door, I saw the tall orange-haired teacher, Kakeru-sensei…

Why is his hair orange anyway? I mean, there are strange hair colors here at Seiso but—orange? Come on, people! Nobody in this world could possibly be that crazy to make their hair orange! But come to think of it, Kakeru-sensei wasn't anywhere near sane to begin with. So what the heck am I complaining about?

"Just two tips for you since you got the ice cube as your "target" for your project," Kakeru-sensei started. "One, be cautious. Even though he's cold and stuff, he's still a pretty boy and he has fan-girls and even fan boys; we don't want anyone getting hurt while doing this project, now do we? Nao-san got Tsugawa-san, so I'm just hoping that the latter would not be so mean…"

"Did you honestly think I didn't know that?" I shot the apparently crazy teacher a glare. "I'm not that oblivious, okay?"

"I know, Hino-san. Sheesh." He rubbed his head. "Give me a break." I smirked a bit and chuckled at his actions—so childish. "Two, do get familiar with each other. This maybe for your project, but here in Seiso, we teachers always wish that there be more interaction between the two departments. So stay friends with him!"

"I know, Kakeru-sensei," I said, walking away from him with my bags hanging on my shoulders. "…like I'd want to see or talk to him after I finish this." I muttered under my breath, hoping that he wasn't able to hear it.

--

6:30 PM. The sun's nearly setting and I think I'm the only one left at school. Sitting under the school bells always finds a way to calm me down. Especially when the wind passes by and hits the bells, making it bring out beautiful music.

Speaking of beautiful music, I can hear that Tsukimori playing his violin from here. Damn. He's still here at this time? Is he too dedicated to his violin that he forgot to make a name for himself at this school; that he forgot to have an actual life? I can't believe I'm going to do this, but I badly need this for my grade.

I stood up and walked towards the door that would lead me to the practice rooms upstairs. But first, I had to cross the bridge over the lake. _That _or I get myself dirty from stepping on mud. And since I'm just _really_ fortunate, there was mud on the bridge, too. So naturally, when a person steps on something wet on a curved surface, what happens?

You slip, that's what. On luck's forecast for the day, we see Kahoko Hino behind the Music Department swimming in the lake. Oh goody!

Oh wait—I don't know how to swim…

"HELP ME!"

--

"I'm s-sorry we had to-" I paused to cough."-meet like this, Tsu-Tsukimori-kun." I said, smiling sincerely. I really was grateful, wasn't I?

"Benevolence led me to you, not self-conscience. It's not your fault you slipped, now is it?" He coldly asked rhetorically. "Unless you intentionally did that to disturb my practice, I won't be accepting any gratification from you."

_Look who's speaking, you narcissistic jerk. _"Err—I g-guess not." I stuttered, trying to hide the anger that was boiling inside of me. "But either way, I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you!" I said excitedly. I stood up and squeezed my hair to remove some of the water that it absorbed from the lake. _Ew._ "Hi! My name is Kahoko Hino and from now on, I will be your friend!" Speech number three did it, I guess.

"Thank you, but no thank you," he said coldly again, squeezing the really wet vest he was wearing. "I don't need friends." He stood up, dusted his pants and walked away from the edge of the lake with his violin case. _Stubborn guy_. Here I am, offering my friendship to him! Jeez! I cannot afford to lose!

"Wait, Tsukimori-!" I shouted and chased him. "Please, I'll do anything! Just allow me to be your friend!" I pleaded, bowing.

"If I agree, will you stop disturbing me?" He asked, not facing me. Will I stop disturbing him? What the heck. I guess he really has no idea how friendship works! I mean, come on!

"What time is it, Tsukimori-kun?" I asked, ignoring his question. "7:15, why?" He said, his voice softening a bit. _Dreamy_…

…not. "Oh crap! I have to be home now!" I screamed and took my wet bag from the floor. No, no, no! "My stuff!" I screamed again.

"It's dark already, Hino," he stated, heaving a heavy sigh with what I thought was filled with guilt or something . "I'll walk you home." He said and carried my bag for me.

"Chivalry still exists, huh?" I laughed, albeit of my situation right now. "You're just lucky this day," he told me. _He has no idea_. I smiled a bit and walked with him, exiting school.

--

"After almost an hour after her curfew, she's finally home!" My sister said sarcastically, throwing her hands up after opening the door for me. "Be thankful that Okaa-san isn't here yet! Where have you been? And why in the world are you wet?" She asked as she inspected me from head to toe.

"I was at school and…" should I tell her I fell into the lake? Nah. "I got wet because of the sprinklers." I tried to laugh a bit to shrug off her conspicuous looks.

"Oh, okay." She looked at me, still suspicious. "You can heat the dinner, if you still want to eat."

"I'm not hungry anymore. Oyasuminasai, ane." I said slowly as I ascended up the stairs to my room. It was a really tiring day, after all. Just as I was about to open my door, I heard her ask loudly from downstairs, "Whose jacket is that you're wearing, by the way?"

…and it was only now that it has occurred to me that I was wearing Tsukimori-kun's uniform.

And for the second time this day, I banged my head on the wall.

This is not working well.


	3. Accidents and Gossips

**Day 2 = Accidents and Gossips**

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I think I'm cursed or something. Somebody might have jinxed me, I think. All I know is that I don't deserve the luck I am currently getting these days. And I suppose that this will go on until the next, next, next week—basically, until this project is over.

"Kahoko! Your sister's saying that you have a boyfriend!" I heard Okaa-san clamor. Damn it, I knew she would tell that to her!

"Yeah, Okaa-san! She brought home this jacket last night and she also—" My older sister tried to tell Okaa-san. Yes, tried; her attempt was failed by my right sandal. "—ow! Kahoko, what in the world is wrong with you?" She shrieked questioningly at me, rubbing her sore head.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" I growled. "I mean, you're telling Okaa-san about my non-existent boyfriend! I don't have one!"

"Oh, really? Then whose jacket is this?" She asked in response as she took out Tsukimori's jacket from behind her. She ran to Okaa-san and gave it to her."Tsu-ki-mori…" She read. "Oh! A Tsukimori?" My sister inquired curiously—of course I didn't miss the hint of maliciousness there. "Is he the son of the world-renowned pianist and the violinist?"

"He is not my boyfriend!" I defended myself. "Even with that high status of his, there is no way I'd want to date that jerk!"

"Concubine, eh?" My sister taunted then giggled; to which my only comeback was to tell her to shut up.

"Whatever you say, Kaho-chan," my sister taunted again; I glared at her. I turned to Okaa-san and said, "I'm leaving. I'm going to the new tea shop with Mio and Nao today. I'll be back before it gets dark, I promise."

"Sure, honey," she replied. "Just make sure to bring back this jacket to that Tsukimori of yours, okay?"

…_ew_.

--

_So why are you returning his jacket back to him?_ I don't know. I guess it's the right thing to do since he _did_ help me yesterday. _Even though...? I thought you hated him, that Tsukimori; took back your words finally, Kahoko?_ Hahahaha…no.

_Fine, for now. You'll take those words back sooner or later; you'll see_... Sure, whatever you say…wait—who are you anyway?

…

I hate it when I get no response from people. Never mind that. Yes, so here I am, searching for the Tsukimori residence… a mansion, maybe. Yeah, they probably live in a big house on one of the main streets.

…wait! That's a big house and this is a main street! Maybe my luck isn't so bad after all! But there's no point in saying that since my day just started…

I looked around the near walkway of the house and its gate. No, I am not going near that house. I'm still on the street, looking around a big house. I must really look weird right now. But then again, the house doesn't have a doorbell.

"Umm… how can I find a way to contact anyone who's inside? I can't see any doorbell here," I muttered silently.

"You just ask," someone said from behind me. Ah, I know that voice.

"Tsukimori," I said not turning to look at him. "I just came to uhh- return your jacket."

"I have a lot. You could've kept it." Pssh, like I'd want the karma-filled jacket of yours.

"Blame my mother," I said, mimicking his cold tone. "Now get it," I turned around and—well, you could say my luck turned around, too.

"Lady, look out!" A little girl with lilac-colored hair shouted. I turned at her direction which was just on the other side of the street. I looked at her and she pointed to a car that was moving at an incredibly fast rate. I looked at the driver of the car and he was all panicky and stuff. I'm guessing the brakes won't work. I tried to move my feet back, but it felt like it was glued with cement to the street itself. No, no, no!

"Hino!"

They say when you're about to die, you'll see your life flashing in front of your eyes. Sadly, all I saw was Tsukimori—which was a huge hint that I wasn't about to die just yet. Add to that the fact that I found myself in another awkward situation with Tsukimori-kun. Should that really equal to a blush-fest?

I was on the grass with Tsukimori. And I bet you imagined it already so there's not much I can say right now. You get it, don't you? Me, him, fall, grass, under, on, oh Kami-sama? Yes, yes! You get it!

"Oh my gosh! Are you two okay?" The lilac-haired girl ran towards Tsukimori and me. Neither of us were able to reply since… well, we were still in shock. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to warn you about that later!" The little girl continued blabbing stuff that didn't interest either Tsukimori or me. I think she was screaming something more like "Bla, bla, bla! Bla!"

I'd rather stare at Tsukimori than listen to her nonsense—what in the world am I saying? But I never did noticed how Tsukimori's eyes could be so…deep. Those topaz eyes were…so beautiful but empty, like they had no feeling or emotion in them. It was like staring into an empty sunset—Oh, no! His eyes are ugly! Ugly, I tell you!

"I don't like it when people don't respond, you know?" The little girl huffed. Ah, welcome to the club. She knocked at the gate of Tsukimori's house. "Misa-san? Are you home?"

I shook my head and looked at Tsukimori. He was… staring? And… blushing? And… why am I not telling him to get off already?

"You can get off now, Tsukimori. Before your mother or anyone from your house sees us like this," I demanded in a cold tone much similar to his. Wow, I am getting good!

"Like I wanted to be in this position, Hino." He said in an even icier tone. "It's because of your stupidity that we got into this mess."

…_excuse me?_ "Well, excuse me for not being able to move at that moment, your highness!" I mocked. He's really getting to my nerves right now! "Oh and here's your jacket!" I threw him his jacket and stomped away angrily. Gosh, that freak! I can't believe him!

At least ten meters away, I turned around and looked at him. Yes, he was still there. "Thanks for saving me, though, Tsukimori," I said lightly, with a smile and a... blush? I turned again and went on to the tea shop.

--

[Note: This part is now in third person! Yaay!]

"Kyaa! Kaho-chan! Why didn't you tell me about this sooner or later?" A caffeine-hyper Mio practically shouted at the poor Kahoko. "Kaho-chaaan!" Mio said loudly in a sing-song manner.

"Ugh, I should not have given Mio coffee instead of tea," Nao said, frustrated, running a hand to her short nearly black locks. "The biggest mistake I've ever made."

"What? I tell you guys everything! Why is there suddenly something that I haven't told you?" Kahoko asked Mio.

"About your boyfriend! I saw a lot of girls from our school a while ago and they were—" Mio was cut off by Nao. "—gossiping about it. Mio, can't you at least try to keep your sanity?"

"What? I have no boyfriend, guys!" Kahoko suddenly gasped. "You're not talking about Tsukimori, are you?"

"Of course we are!" Mio slammed her hands on the table. "I mean, who else could you possibly like?"

"I don't like Tsukimori, Mio."

"Whatever! Kahoko and Tsukimori, sitting on a tree…" Mio sang loudly. "Something, something; one, two, three!"

Kahoko, on the other hand, kept silent through Mio's loud expressions and Nao's angry mutterings. She sweat-dropped and stared awkwardly at her two best friends, "I don't like Tsukimori, Mio."

"Oh, stop denying, Kaho-chan!" Mio laughed and stood on her chair. "You like Tsukimori-kun!" Mio laughed louder. "Yesterday was only the beginning of our project! I mean, I haven't started on mine and you're already dating yours! Hee!" Nao glanced at the manager of the tea shop they were in and pulled Mio down.

"Look, Mio! People are staring now! And most of them probably now Tsukimori since his parents are famous!" Nao said angrily. "You embarrassed poor Kahoko, too!"

"Oh?" Mio burped. "Where is Kaho-chan anyway?" Mio giggled at herself and looked around the tea shop. Likewise, Nao did the same.

"She's n-not here anymore…" Nao stuttered.

"…"

"She doesn't like that damn Tsukimori, Mio. She said that at least seventeen times before you went super-high on caffeine." Nao glared at Mio.

"Really?" Mio asked with a faint voice, seeming to have gotten her sanity back.

Nao nodded.

"Oh no."


	4. Running with Gossip Girl

**Day 3 = Running with Gossip Girl**

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You know Gossip Girl? Well do you know the saying "You're nothing 'till you're talked about?" Well, I am currently in one of the show's main character's position. The only difference is that here at Seiso, there's no online person spreading the news—everyone is. Hugs and kisses? You can even hear suddenly someone saying "K was spotted with M and N at the garden five minutes ago!" or something like "T was avoiding everyone since this morning. The gossip's getting him already?" But there is one, the main Gossip Girl, who texts everyone the latest things that happen to me and Tsukimori. This will surely be a long, long day.

--

I cannot take this any longer. Stupid, stupid, stupid! I knew I shouldn't have returned that jacket to him last Saturday! Stupid! I knew I shouldn't have gone there! I should've waited until today to give it back to him! Gosh, I am so stupid! But if I did, maybe the music department students would be more suspicious as to why I was going to Tsukimori. Grr!

"Kahoko, are you okay?" Nao asked with obvious concern dripping all over. If okay means getting strange looks from people, receiving a new text every five minutes of what happens to either Tsukimori or me, hearing the most over-exaggerated gossips every time I walk down the hall, then yes, I am feeling most _splendid_! Where does that Gossip Girl even get all the money to text everyone?

"Yeah, Nao. I'm fine." I lied. I felt my cell phone vibrate in my bag and I got it. Oh, and look! A new text from the Gossip Girl! "T's practicing his violin on the roof. Anyone care to watch and listen with me? ;)" That was the modernized Seiso-version of Gossip Girl, ladies and gentlemen. A round of applause, please?

I looked up the roof and saw him there, playing something—how am I supposed to know what he's playing? I'm not musically-inclined, you know? It's not like I know how to play any instru—before I could finish the thought, my phone vibrated again. "That text, Hino Kahoko, was only for you. And it looks like you just looked up. XOXO."

I hate that woman, whoever she is! She is far more annoying than the one in the series! That person is cool; this one isn't. This one is just plain annoying!

"I think I'll go to Kakeru-sensei first, just to get this problem fixed," I told them both. Nao nodded and Mio looked down, not replying. She's probably still ashamed or something because of what happened last Saturday…

"Mio, it's okay," I said. "You didn't start the rumors, right?" She nodded lightly. "Then it's not your fault." I said before I walked toward the school building. Yes, I am _that_ nice.

--

…_that applies only to my best friends._

"I will kill you, Kakeru-sensei!" I chased him around the classroom while throwing small things, like pencils and erasers, at him. "You will give me a new student for the project right now or else I will throw your cute little teddy bear outside the window!" That's a nice threat for the gay teacher! Insert my evil inside laugh here.

"You wouldn't dare!" He screamed and tried to get his teddy bear from my hand which was already outside. "Oh, but I dare, Kakeru-sensei," I teased him some more. Aah, it's not every day you can bully your teacher like this.

"I'm sorry, Kahoko, you can't get a new student. It's unfair to all of your classmates who, like you, didn't get who they wanted. They work hard just to know their enemies, you know?" He said. "But it looks like you made him more than just an enemy and a friend…" he sneakily added softly. Hey, I heard that!

"I swear I will kill you, Kakeru-sensei!" I shouted. My cell phone vibrated again and I took it out. "I hear screaming in the classroom where Kahoko is in right now. Who knows what might be happening in there right now. Do you want to know? The windows are open, btw. ;)" I looked over at the window and saw that it was open, just as the text read. This Seiso-version of Gossip Girl is really, really more annoying than the one in the TV series! And she sounds like more of a fan-girl or something!

"Gossip Girl, eh?" Kakeru-sensei snickered. "Why don't you confront Tsukimori about this? I'm sure he's far more annoyed than you are." He does have a point. My cell phone vibrated again. "T, going home already?" Kakeru-sensei leaned over to see what was written. "Oh, and maybe you'd want to do that now." I nodded and ran; I ran and ran and ran.

--

[Note: The GG's POV now. :D]

Ooh. What's this? Kahoko's finally outside Kakeru-sensei's classroom. And looks like she's mumbling three words: Tsukimori, need, talk? I sure do love my job!

Kahoko ran toward the front garden and tried to catch up with Tsukimori…_ooh._ I threw a mini microphone at Kahoko's sleeve. Perfect, neh? Technology these days sure are useful, especially if you have a job like mine! Insert a quiet evil snoopy-like laugh here.

I sneakily followed suit and hid myself in one of the bushes near where Kahoko and Tsukimori are near, investigating the small scene… oh, Kahoko and Tsukimori? I will find out what's really happening between the two of you soon.

"Tsukimori, wait up!" Kahoko shouted. Tsukimori looked back at her and raised a brow. "What do you need this time, Hino?" He asked in a snobby-like manner. I started typing in words in my cell phone. Oh, the next gossips will be the juiciest!

[Note: Kaho's POV]

"Tsukimori, please!" I practically pleaded. Psh, how pathetic I must sound right now. "My reputation is at stake here!"

"Mine too, Hino," he replied. "What do you suggest we do about it?" He asked me. Ah, perfect question!

"We talk, now. I need to discuss it with you first," I said. "And we have to hurry up; I promised Mio and Nao that I would meet them at one tea shop near the station later."

I felt my cell phone vibrate. "That must be either Mio or Nao," I said. Len raised a brow at me again. I sighed and laughed. "Come on, Tsukimori!" My cell phone vibrated again. I ignored it and took Tsukimori's wrist. "Hurry up!" I laughed again and ran while dragging him behind me. My cell phone must have vibrated at least three times before I turned it off. "We're going to my house to talk, by the way."

"Kaho-chan!" I heard someone call my name. I turned around and let go of Tsukimori's wrist.

"Ah! Amou-san! How are you?" I asked her.

"I'm fine; I was just going to the park. It is this way, right?" She asked in one of her suspicious tones again.

"Oh, err- no. It's that way," I corrected her and pointed west.

"Thanks! And is that a bug on your sleeve?" She asked and pointed to my sleeve. Wow, she really sounds like she's suggesting something--if she _was_ trying to do something, she could at least be a bit less obvious.

"Where is it?" I asked calmly, while looking awkwardly at her. "Nowhere. See you around!" She said quickly then ran off. Well she _has_ always been weird…

"Is it just me or did it sound like she was up to something?" Tsukimori looked at me and asked. "Err- she did sound like it…" I replied. "But it shouldn't matter right now. Come on, Tsukimori!" I grabbed his wrist again and ran; ran and ran and ran…

--

"Okay, so we're here. It's not as big as yours, your majesty. I'm actually normal," I teased him. "We can stay at the backyard garden, come on! Before my sister or my mother sees—"

"Who's your friend, Kaho-chan?" My sister zoomed from up the stairs to the living room. _Wow_.

"This is Tsukimori-kun, uh- ane." I responded robot-like and quickly dragged Tsukimori to the back door. I pushed it and we went outside… and it was so cold.

"So, here's the plan…"

--

For thirty minutes or so, Tsukimori and I were discussing our plan while getting suggestive looks from my sister. _Great_, _isn't it_? Basically, we're going to meet up during free period and then lure Gossip Girl into following me when I go away! It's vague, I know. But Tsukimori said it was better than my other plans (like the one where we go act like Mythbusters and then test some random stuff).

"Is that all?" Tsukimori asked me. I nodded victoriously and jumped up from my seat. "Tomorrow, plan NMG2 will commence!"

"NMG2?" Tsukimori shot me a weird look. "No more Gossip Girl," I replied then took his wrist again. "We are now leaving." I glared at my sister who was peeking from her window upstairs. "Mio and Nao must be worried about me right now…" I said, looking at my new waterproof watch my sister gave me this morning just in case history decided to repeat itself.

"I understand. They're your friends after all." Friends? What does he know about friends? He doesn't have any!

…_except me_.

And I didn't reply to him.

--

We walked in silence until we were near the park. It seemed like he has always been accustomed to silence; like it was always there with him. While I, who have always been with the company of my friends, was so tensed about it. No wonder he's like that…

And that was when I decided to break the silence.

"You're my friend, too, you know."

I think that was the wrong thing to say.

What if this will make it awkward between us now?

Oh no.

I noticed Tsukimori stopped walking. I turned, "Come on, Tsukimori-kun." I smiled at him. The least I could do is be nice to him, right? He must have suffered the loneliness all his life….

And he just smiled at me.

--

"Thanks for accompanying me until here, Tsukimori-kun," I told him.

"It was nothing, Hino. My house is this way so I would've passed here anyway. Just make sure that little plan of yours works tomorrow," he said coolly. "It's getting cold, isn't it? You should get inside now." …it _was_ getting cold.

"Hai. Thank you, Tsukimori-kun," I said then smiled at him. He looked down at me and removed his jacket, the one that I returned to him. Why is he-? Before I could complete my inside sentence, he put it around me. "Why are you—?" I was able to ask not fully.

"It's cold, isn't it? And you're shivering, too." He said with slight concern. Wow, I never knew Tsukimori had such a nice side! Maybe he's not that bad after all… Wait—what did I just think? "And it's probably cold there inside the store because of the air conditioning. This time, you don't have to return it," he continued.

"I—" don't need it, I said in my mind. But what I've learned far is that Tsukimori can be stubborn. "Thank you," I told him then went inside in a rush. That. Was. Awkward.

I looked around for Mio and Nao's table…and I found it! I walked toward them and they shot me suggestive looks like what my mother and sister gave. Oh, please! If they think that I like Tsukimori, they have another thing coming.

"You're blushing," Nao pointed out and giggled. Nao giggled? That's it; the end of the world has come! Mio smiled calmly as she sipped her tea. Mio, calm? Yeah, this _is _the end of the world.

"Didn't you see the Gossip Girl updates awhile ago?" Mio asked me. I shook my head and took out my cell phone. Twelve unread messages…?

"Hey, Kaho-chan! Hurry up! We'll be waiting at the Tea Shop, 'kay? At our usual table! We'll order cake once you arrive!"

"K spotted, mumbling three words: Tsukimori, need, talk. What's there to talk about, neh?"

"Oh my gosh! Kaho-chaaann! Nao and I get it; take your time! ;)"

"K and T spotted together, holding hands? Oooh, they do have something after all!"

"Really, Kaho-chan. Take your time; we don't want to disturb something that might be going on…"

"K and T are going to K's house! Ooohh!"

"o___O!!!"

"I'm your friend, too, you know? Nice line, Hino. Xoxo."

"Spotted, K and T near the park. Bonding?"

"o____O!!"

"Concerned about the weather, T just gave K his jacket!"

"We can see you two, Kahoko. You're just outside the store's window. Choose a better location for your hidden flirting next time. This is Nao, btw."

Kami-sama, help me please?


	5. Taking it Back

**Day 4 = Taking it Back **

**

* * *

  
**

I want to die right now… On second thought, I take that back; school is killing me already. I think I can wait for a few more minutes before I go brain dead then collapse then I'll be brought to the hospital, and then the doctor will say it's too late and I'm dead already! A brilliant idea, eh?

Currently, I found a secluded area where no one ever goes to, the small field behind the school bells. And I think it's safe to say that no one, especially Gossip Girl, will find me here.

"Hino?"

On second thought, I take that back. I turned around and saw Tsukimori with twigs and leaves in his hair and uniform—oh, how I wish I brought my camera! I stifled a laugh and he looked down. After at least fifteen seconds of my muffled giggles, I asked him: "What are you doing here?"

"Hiding," he simply replied, removing some more twigs from his hair; I giggled some more at his irate face at the small wooden sticks. "You too?" I asked in between my snickers.

"No one goes here, right?" He eyed the surroundings once more before returning his gaze to me. "So I thought it was safer to go here than in the practice rooms."

"Well, I thought so, too," I stuck out my tongue at him. "You know, nature doesn't really suit you." I giggled again and took out some of the leaves and twigs stuck in his hair—silky; his hair is silky. _And it's so nice to touch_…

"Thank you, Hino," he breathed out. I looked at him and he smiled again. He looks better when he smiles—damn it, Hino, Focus! "You're the only person who's been kind to me. Why is that?"

"Why's what?" I asked, confused at what he just said. I mean, that question did quite catch me off guard. We were just hiding in the same place together—I mean not together! Then, I laugh at his not-so-organized state and I got all of the leaves and twigs out of his very, very silky hair. Yes, I admit it: his hair is nice. Whatever; after all of those, he suddenly asks why have I been kind to him? Who the hell does that—oh, wait; on second thought, I take that back. It's a completely normal question.

"Why have you been kind to me? You don't even know me but you befriended me. Why's that?" He asked once more and he looked into my eyes. I looked into his eyes and saw sincerity, confusion and honesty in them—two of which I felt like I lacked at the moment.

Why_ am_ I being kind to him? Why did I _want_ to befriend him?

_Because you didn't, Kahoko_, that voice inside my head said again_. You didn't befriend him_—_you used him_. I did not! I'm his friend! He said so himself!

Because you convinced him enough that he was your friend, Kahoko. But is he your friend? Well, err—of course! If I'm his friend to him, then that must mean he's my friend, too.

_Why, huh? Why is he your friend?_ Because… I- well, uhh- It's because… _you used him for your project? You didn't want to be his friend at all. You needed him to be your friend just so you could pass your project. I bet that if you didn't get him, you'd still be mocking him like you did before. And after this project, it's just like you said: after this, it's all over, you and him._

No! It's all different now! I—_you what? What will you do when he finds out that you've been using him for the project? Aren't you aware that he's human, too? That even though he's like that, he still has emotions instilled in him? That he has a human heart, too?_

On second thought, I take that back…I…I…no…

"Hino?" Tsukimori snapped his fingers in front of my eyes. "Are you okay? You suddenly spaced out back there."

"I'm fine." I lied to him—_again, you mean, Kahoko?_ "So what's your answer to my question?" He asked again.

_So, what is it, Kahoko?_

"I… I…" I slowly muttered, my eyes starting to get teary. "I'm sorry, Tsukimori-kun," I said then ran. I swear I don't know how I can live life like this.

"Hino!" Tsukimori called out. I'm sorry… I guess this means that the plan won't be continued…

--

[Len's POV]

"Well, I thought so, too," She stuck her tongue out at me. She looked cute when she does that…wait—what? "You know... nature doesn't really suit you," she giggled then started to get the twigs and leaves out of my hair.

"Thank you, Hino." I said. She looked at me; I smiled softly at her. "You're the only person who's been kind to me. Why is that?" I asked suddenly, which was quite stupid of me to do. Great, now she'll think that I treasure her so much because she's my only friend. How _desperate_.

"Why's what?" She asked a bit confused. That probably caught her off guard. That's acceptable considering that I just popped the question out of nowhere. Let all the confusion begin now.

"Why have you been kind to me? You don't even know me but you befriended me. Why's that?" I asked again. I looked into her eyes and they looked shocked. Did she lie to me when she said she wanted to be my friend or something?

She was… spacing out.

"I… I… no…" I heard her say almost inaudibly. You're not lying to me, are you?

"Hino?" I snapped my fingers in front of her eyes, hoping to get her attention back. "Are you okay? You suddenly spaced out back there." I asked.

"I'm… fine." She said, still with a bit of confusion in her voice. "So what's your answer to my question?" I asked again.

"I… I…" She muttered slowly. I noticed her eyes were getting a bit teary… "I'm sorry, Tsukimori-kun," she told me before she ran off.

"Hino!" I tried calling her name. Great, Tsukimori. You just wasted your chance of actually having a friend here at school. For a violin prodigy, you sure don't think well!

"This will make great gossip!" I heard someone say from near the bushes. I went near the bushes then I spotted a bush of curly light-brown hair. "T and K, spotted…" she said slowly to herself. I know this voice…

"Amou-san?" I asked myself in a loud voice.

"Aah!" She shouted. "She looked around and I ducked down. "Oh, it was no one. For a second there, I thought someone knew I was Gossip Girl! Haha!" She's speaking to herself—now I know how weird she is. Wait—she's Gossip Girl! So that explains why yesterday, she was acting like that…

"I better get going, school's almost starting," she told herself then ran to the general education building. But not without dropping something valuable for her gossip career…

…_her cell phone_.

I grinned, and then put the cell phone into one of the pockets in my uniform. Oh, I can play dirty, too.

--

[Kahoko's POV again.]

I found another secluded spot where hopefully, my thoughts of it being people-free are true. The park during Tuesday mornings are usually empty these days… maybe it's because the second semester just started and everyone's either at school or at work. I inhaled the crisp morning scent the flowers were giving away. I seated myself on one bench and looked at some of the older couples walking with each other. One certain couple caught my attention…

They were both young, probably in their early-twenties. The girl seemed to be joking, laughing around so freely. The man stood a small distance behind the girl and refused to move, making the girl cross her arms and pout.

"Come on, Yasuo-kun!" The girl made a pouted and dragged his sleeve. The man softened his expression and slipped his hand into the girl's free hand. The girl smiled a bit and then they went off.

Tsukimori-kun?

Poof.

That was stupid.

No, he's stupid.

Yeah, that's it. He's so stupid because he's making me feel all guilty and stuff. He's so stupid because he actually believed that I wanted to befriend him. He's so stupid because he can't even have a normal life. He's so stupid because he can't even get some friends. He's so stupid because… because…

Because I'm stupid.

My cell phone vibrated, indicating either my worried mom or Gossip Girl… And oh goody! It's Gossip Girl's number! Probably saying, "K spotted in the park. Cutting classes?" Well maybe it's time to get a new phone… So without any hesitation, I threw my almost rotting phone into a garbage bin beside some bench.

--

"_Gossip Girl is Nami Amou. General Education student, newspaper club president; your other friend. What'll we do about this?"_

"_Hey, Hino. Thank me later. --Tsukimori"_

--

"So that Amou-san really is that annoying. I never imagined her to be so—"

"I can't believe she'd go that far for gossip."

"Low life. What can you expect from GE students?"

I glared at the guy who said that, a third year music student. I looked to my left and saw Nami, crying. Even though I only found out a few minutes ago and even though she may have made those gossips, rumors –with exaggerated details, mind you-, and all those other stuff, she's still my friend.

_Gosh, I am so nice_.

"Nami-chan?" I offered her my handkerchief. "I forgive you," I simply stated, even though she didn't really apologized formally or anything beforehand. She flung her arms around my neck and sobbed on my shoulder.

_Gosh, I am incredibly nice_.

"I'm s-sorry, K-Kaho-chan. I wasn't thi-thinking about what you- what you would feel when I- I started those g-g-gossips," she said, with sniffles and hiccups in between, of course.

And damn right she was about that. But since I am nice to my friends, I patted her back and said a few comforting words. Well, this was quite an accomplishment: a wet shoulder and a disorientated uniform—they weren't really the most comfortable things I could have right now.

"Th-thank you, Kaho-cha-an," Nami smiled gratefully and bowed. "I don't know how I deserved a friend like you."

_Heck, I don't even know why you deserve me either_.

She handed me a thick envelope. "That has all of the pictures I took of you and two CD's containing videos of you from the other day…" She bowed down again. "Thank you so much for everything, Kaho-chan."

This is awkward.

She smiled albeit the salty tears that kept on pouring down from her eyes. "Well, you see, Kaho-chan, I did that because—" she started; I paid no intention and instead opened the envelope and saw at least a hundred pictures. Wow, I can use all of these for my project! Advantage, advantage, advantage. I grinned to myself. Maybe what Amou-san did wasn't so bad after all…

I quickly scanned the photos one by one. I saw pictures from the time we were in one of the practice rooms, the time when he walked me home, when we were lying on the grass near his house. There were also some pictures from when I was in the tea shop with Nao and the not so sober Mio! I have got to admit, Nami does a nice job.

"And so it led me to—" she kept on blabbing, but I cut her off. "Hey, would you mind taking more pictures of me and Tsukimori-kun? I need them for Kakeru-sensei's class," I stated and returned the pictures in the envelope. "I'll pay you if you want. I just need pictures and stuff like those."

"Do I need Tsukimori-san's permission? I mean, he may find it as an invasion of privacy…" she asked, fiddling with her fingers in what I guess what nervousness—to which I replied with a curt shake of my head, indicating a _no_. "Ah, then I'll be happy to! Heck, you don't have to pay me!"

Speaking of Tsukimori-kun, I haven't thanked him yet… And I also haven't talked to him since this morning. He can't be still mad with me because of what I told him earlier, can he? I don't want him to be—wait! What am I saying? He's only my friend until the end of my project! Focus, Kahoko, focus!

It's getting dark already, maybe I should head home or something. Hmm? Nami already left a few seconds ago almost excitedly with her camera flinging side to side from her neck.

I passed by my locker as I exited the school so I could study for my trigonometry exam next week. I'm just hoping I pass, though. As I opened my locker, a small stick-it note fell with meticulous writing on it: _Meet me at the tea shop that you and your friends went to? I need to give you something._– _Tsukimori_

I smiled to myself and slipped the note into the envelope Nami gave me earlier. _I'm going. _

--

[Normal POV]

Kahoko took her bag and slung it over her shoulder. She looked at the almost empty school one last time before she walked her way to the tea shop. With a smile graced on her face, she whispered to herself the name of a boy who's been troubling her these past few days: "Tsukimori-kun..."

"I will never, ever understand you, Tsukimori-kun," she breathed out, laughing, before stopping to look at the starry sky above her. She closed both of her eyes, hiding her big bright amber eyes.

"So this is what it feels to have everything and nothing at the same time…" She said to herself as she inhaled the soft crisp scent of the night. She opened her eyes and put her hands back to her side. She smiled one last time before she walked—more like skipped exuberantly—to her destination.

"O, Kahoko. You'll feel having everything and nothing at the same time soon enough…"


	6. Ten Questions

**Night 4 Plus Day 5 = Ten Questions**

**

* * *

  
**

"Wha- what's this, Tsukimori-kun?" I asked, pointing to the small box that was laid in front of me.

"A gift," he said with no interest at all. He could've at least been a bit happier when he said that, but then again, what did I expect from an ice cube anyway? "My birthday is in February." I said almost ignorantly.

"It's not a birthday gift; it's a thank you gift; an apology gift at the same time." I shot him a questioning glance. "For being my friend and for what I said earlier," he said, as if he knew what I was going to ask next. Well, of course he knew that I would ask that! _Any person given the same amount of common sense as a cat would have known_! I could've figured it out on my own, too, if I was asked that. Pssh! He's not that smart! _No one said he was that smart, Kahoko_. Shut up!

"Hino? Why do you keep spacing out?" He snapped his fingers in front of me again. Snap. Snap. Snap. Snap. Ha, I think I can make some sort of melody out of that… "Don't!" I burst as I grabbed his hand. "My friend said that…err—snapping is bad. Something about joints; uh, might affect your violin playing!" Great. You try to act all smart around him but you sound stupid while you're at it. You are a real genius, Kaho.

His hands are big and cold. But they're really soft. No wonder when he plays his violin, it sounds like that. His shoulders are nice and broad, too. His hair is always so shiny and smooth-looking. Don't even get me started on those eyes of his—

"You're spacing out again," Tsukimori said. "And your hands are small."

"My hands are not small!"

"Yes, they are, Hino."

"Look," he said as he raised both of his hand and pressed it against mine. "See, your hands are small."

_Hey, Kahoko. You're blushing_.

"Well if I compare mine to yours, of course they would be smaller…" I reasoned out, hiding the blush on my cheek with my hair. But what's the use anyway? They're probably the same shade of red right now.

"Is that so…?" He looked at me, his gaze seeming to track me down. Why, oh, why did I have to get Tsukimori-kun?

"Haha! Okay!" I separated my hands from his and slammed them on the table. "Err—I promised my mom I'd be home by seven today so let's make this quick, shall we?" I told him.

"I know. I just wanted to give you the gift, Hino. But if there's anything—"

"Let's begin with name calling, shall we? Call me Kaho or Kahoko from now on," I gave him a smile.

"Okay, err—Kahoko. If there's anything else that you want to—"

"Ten questions; let's play?" I suggested. This'll be a good opportunity to get what I need to know for my written report about him! But I have to be careful with my questions, don't I? Ah! I'll write my questions down, and then put his answers there. I do have a bad memory sometimes…

"Why are you taking out your notebook? Is this an interview?"

"No! It's just, uhh-" Think, Kaho, think! "I have a really bad memory?" I said—no, I questioned to him. Wow, that was the best answer you could've thought of, Kaho? Stupid!

Well, needless to say that Tsukimori didn't believe me.

"Honest! I remember one time, I forgot Mio's name!" _No you haven't. You are such a liar, Kahoko_. Shut up!

"If it can't be helped," he sighed. "You go start."

"Thanks, Tsukimori-kun!" I squealed out of happiness. Happiness_? Why are you so happy, Kahoko?_ You're more annoying than Amou-san, did you know that?!

"Rules…we get ten questions each, side questions included. If the other person refuses to answer, so be it. Err, that's all," I said. "First question, at what age did you start playing the violin?"

"Somewhere around five. When's your birthday?"

I'm guessing he doesn't play this game often.

"February twenty-seven. When's your birthday?"

"April twenty-four. Any siblings?"

"An older brother and an older sister." I groaned at the thought of those two. "You?"

"Only child." So that's why he acts so spoiled! Only child, pfft. Maybe it's because his parents are so busy—oh, gosh, but not in that sense! Oh, no!

"Err, what do you feel when you're with your parents? I heard they're on tour most of the time."

"I don't know. It doesn't really feel like they're my parents, really."

Wow. That sure does explain a lot.

"You?"

He really doesn't know how to play this game. He's just firing back every question I ask him! See, this is exactly what unsocial ice cubes do!

"My mom's around most of the time so, yeah. But my dad…"

"What about your dad?"

"Side question. That counts." I pointed out and then I playfully stuck out my tongue at him.

"Damn," he cursed lightly; I giggled.

"I only see my dad every Christmas and New Year. So, I'm sad about that."

"Oh."

"My turn, what's your favorite food?"

"Sugar-free yogurt. What's your favorite cake?"

"Chocolate or strawberry! Depends on my mood." I grinned at him and he…smiled a bit? "This question isn't part of the game, okay? I forgot to ask about it earlier..." He looked at me with an awry expression. "Ah, err—what flavor is in this box?"

"Open it later when you get home," he said lightly with no interest whatsoever. Cold ice cube mode, please?

"Why don't you smile so often?"

"Because I see no use in doing that. Why do you keep smiling?"

"Because if I don't smile, I'll be grumpy every day, like you." I giggled at the last part.

"Haha, Kahoko. Very funny," he said with obvious sarcasm dripping.

"I was just joking, sheesh. My turn again!"

…what should I ask him?

"Do you hate liars?"

Ah. _Genius_.

"Who doesn't?"

He has a point: who _doesn't_ hate liars?

"I do, too."

He didn't ask you that, you know?

"I didn't ask you that, you know?"

"Then you just got a free question from me or something like that!"

"It's my turn, isn't it?" He asked; I nodded. "Do you know how to play any instrument?"

"Of course not!"

"Why not?"

_Yeah, why not, Kahoko?_

"Side question!" I chuckled.

"Damn," he cursed again.

"Because I don't want to learn…can you teach me?"

"No."

"Please, Tsukimori-kun?"

"No."

"I'll do anything! What can I do so that you can teach me?"

"That's considered as a side question, too," he pointed out.

"Damn." I muttered under my breath.

"I'll teach you."

"Really?" I smiled and held both of his hands. "Thank you, Tsukimori-kun! Thank you!"

…_wrong move_.

"You can let go of my hands now, Kahoko."

"Oh, sorry!" I smiled again and let go of his hands. I looked up at him and saw his cheeks were getting a bit red; I'm guessing that mine are, too.

"My last question, is there a girl you like right now?" _Why'd you ask, Kahoko_? Because I want to know. _Why'd you want to know?_ … _Finally caught you! So you like Tsukimori now_? Yes, but not in that way. _Hmm_…

I looked at Tsukimori-kun and saw him facing another direction, his cheeks flaming. I think this is a bit awkward… _You think_? Who are you anyway?!

"You don't have to answer. It's in the rules," I groaned inwardly. _Stupid, Kaho. You could've gotten an answer from him if you waited a bit longer, you know_? I don't care. And besides, he looked like he was at unease when I asked that. _So you do care_? Well, of course! He is my friend, after all. _I'll just go with that_...

"You should really stop spacing out."

Yeah, I really should! I mentally slapped myself—is that even possible? _Ow_! I'll take that as a yes, then.

"It's your last question, what are you going to ask me?" I asked him.

"I'll save it for next time."

"Unfair!" I threw a small piece of cake at him and it went to his hair.

"Tsk. Immature," he glared at me then removed the piece of cake from his hair… with an annoyed expression on his face, of course.

"Haha," I laughed a bit. "Nature and food really don't suit you."

He glared at me; he kept on glaring and glaring and glaring. Err—

I chucked another piece of cake at him.

I can feel it! The force is so strong! I can feel it! I really, really can! I can even hear it! It goes like this: _glaaaaare_.

This is quite an accomplishment.

"Ne, Tsukimori-kun? What time is it?" I asked him as I took in another forkful of cake. Mmm…

"Around forty-five minutes past seven. "

I almost choked.

"Are you okay, Kahoko?"

"Of course!" You can most probably imagine me coughing a lot right now.

"We should get going now; your mom might kill me or something." He gathered his things and stood up. "You're not going?"

"No, she won't kill you—she'll kill me."

"She told me to take you home before seven, too. I told you earlier that I knew, didn't I? She also said that if your dad finds out you've been staying out late too much, both of you will get into lots of trouble…"

…

"How?"

"She called."

Okaa-san… called… Tsukimori-kun?

"Nani?!" How, how, how? Okaa-san isn't usually that nosy! But I bet Onee-san has something to do with it…

"We're wasting time; let's go now." He grabbed my hand and dragged—yes, dragged—me out of the shop.

"Yurumeru, Tsukimori-kun!"

And you know what else?

Outside of the teashop, it was raining…

…_hard._

"Did you bring an umbrella, Tsukimori-kun?" I looked up at him worriedly. "I-iie, Kahoko."

"Let's run then, shall we?" I turned to him and smiled; he had an unreadable expression on his face. "Your house is in the other direction. And besides, it's too far. It'd be dangerous, Kahoko."

"But my mom—" Tsukimori-kun cut me, "Would be more worried if you didn't come home safely. Now come on," Tsukimori-kun took my wrist and dragged me again. I felt my cheeks heating up—I should really learn how to control that.

"It's raining harder; let's go now, Kahoko," he said and then he…smiled? Oh my gosh! I _am_ rubbing off on Tsukimori-kun! At that thought, I snickered to myself.

"Pardon?" He asked, with annoyance in his tone.

"Nothing, Len-kun."

--

_The next morning…_

"Whe-where am I?" I fluttered my eyes open and looked around my surroundings. Nobody else was in here and this is obviously not my room. I should know since my room does not have a queen-sized bed, an upright piano and a huge flat screen TV, for sure. So… where am I?

"Ah, you must be bocchama-sama's guest. I am Chiba-san, the caretaker of this house. Bocchama-sama's parents aren't going to be here until next month." The old woman in front of me said. She was old, I could see, but the kind expression that didn't leave her face made her seem like she was a few years younger than her supposed age—I think she's fifty-three or something? I don't really care.

"Bocchama-sama is in the practice room, just along the hall. You can go visit him, if you're interested. I'm sure he won't mind, considering that he doesn't have that much friends… and he seems to care about you a lot, taking you into his house because of the storm."

…_what is happening?_

"You must be Kahoko Hino, am I correct? Your mother called last night, and was concerned whether you could make it home since there was a strong storm," she said in a lighter tone.

…_wait, exactly what happened last night?_

"Since some places are flooded, it was announced that there'd be no classes for today. And the weather stations advised that no one should go out because the conditions might suddenly change. I'm very sorry to have caused you so much trouble, Hino-san," Chiba-san explained further.

…_what the heck?_

I don't know what to think anymore!

"We informed your mother; she said that you could stay here until the storm clears out. You're currently in the guest room, if you're wondering, Hino-san," Chiba-san continued to say. "Bocchama-sama's room is just across yours so you needn't worry about company."

By bocchama-sama, she means Tsukimori-kun, right?

"Ah, can you hear it?"

"…hear what?" I looked at Chiba-san like she was crazy or delusional or something. Nope, I think old age is getting to her, making her hear—and probably even see—a lot of stuff that doesn't even exist. I mean, my grandmother is like that, I think. Even my mother; there's also my sister…

"Ave Maria by Franz Schubert…"

I have brought out three possible conclusions on why I couldn't hear anything. One, I've gone deaf, which I highly doubt since I can perfectly hear what Chiba-san was saying. Two, Chiba-san was delusional because of old age. And lastly, there was no music playing. Ha, see? Those are all extremely reasonable answers!

"Listen more closely, Hino-san. Bocchama-sama is playing it."

…_screeeech_.

Yes, that surely must be Tsukimori-kun.

"Ne, Chiba-san, what time is it?"

"It's still early in the morning, around seven, I presume? Your mother said that you should go home after the storm clears, which should be later this evening. The latest time should be around tomorrow morning..."

So, basically, she's telling me that I'm stuck here in the Tsukimori residence for probably the rest of the day...

...

...

...

Kami-sama, what did I do wrong now?


	7. Messed Up Breakfast

**Part 1 of Day 5 = Messed Up Breakfast**

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* * *

  
**

I have a really strong inclination to look for Tsukimori, bang the side of his head with his oh-so precious violin, and then feed him something he's highly allergic to—scratch that—I'll just put poison in his food or something…_yes_! Yes, that would be the ultimate revenge!

_Why? What did he ever do to you?_

I shall ignore the question above.

Look at him—so disgusting. He is obviously showing off. How his hair sways sexily when he plays the—wait, what? Delete! I, Kahoko Hino, do not say things like that! Especially about that…thing!

_Thing? Poor little Tsukimori, Kaho. I think that's a bit harsh; he did help you, after all._

Shut up! Mental slap time!

_It only worked last time because it took me off guard._

Damn it! I'll bang my head on the wall until I get a concussion of some sort! You are there, after all, right?

_I don't know. I'm simply your conscience or whatever you want to call me._

That's it! I can't take that annoying voice in my head anymore! Frustrated, I hit my head on the wall…repeatedly.

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" I said over and over again while banging my head on the wall…

…

Itai…

"Kahoko?"

"Ah, Len!" I tore my head away from the wall. "I was just…uhh—admiring the window this door has?" Idiot, Kahoko! You really are a genius! I'm sure Tsukimori over there can see it perfectly well, too!

"For short, you were stalking me?" He looked at me with his usual unmoved face. Scary ice cube—let me rephrase that; He's a scary, unfeeling and egoistic ice cube. So full of himself, thinking that I was looking at him! Pssh! I was looking at the window!

"Hey! Don't get so full of yourself now! I told you, I was admiring the window- not you." I stuck out my tongue playfully at him. "Itai…" I rubbed my throbbing temples, probably because of all the hits I got. Yet, Len still manages to be impassive about all of it.

"_Right_, Kahoko. Have you eaten breakfast yet?" He said while fully getting out of his practice room, with his violin case in one hand.

"Uh, yes?"

_No, you haven't._

Yes, I have. Didn't I just eat you awhile ago?

_No, you didn't!_

And on cue, my stomach grumbled…loudly, might I add.

"No you haven't." Len said stoically. I sighed internally; mission failed, I guess.

"…"

"Come on." For like the hundredth time, Len took my wrist and dragged me.

…what is up with the grabbing and dragging and—stairs!

"Yurumeru, Len!"

--

"This is cold," I said, poking the scrambled egg on my plate. Ha! It was kind of fun… poke, poke, poke! Ha!

Amused, I smiled lightly. I poked the egg some more…

_Wheee_, I thought happily. At least there was something that could keep me entertained while in this…this…am I allowed to call this place a home?

"Len?" I glanced at Len who was sitting across me…

I think I have schizophrenia or something because I never thought that I'd see the day when Tsukimori would be glaring at inanimate objects; but then again, I never imagined that I'd be stuck with him in his house. I poked the egg one last time before silence engulfed our conversation again.

"Hey, Len. Can I make coffee?"

"Ask Chiba-san."

What is he, some sort of magic eight ball or something?

"I'll go look for Chiba-san while you reheat all of this, is that okay...?" I said slowly while looking down at my food. I looked up to see if he acknowledged what I said, but instead, I found Tsukimori glaring at the egg again…

…poor thing. No, not Tsukimori. I was talking about the egg. Ha, I bet that this will be a long day.

--

Seriously, this house is too big. How can a person not get lost here? There are at least ten rooms per floor and I can't find Chiba-san in any one of the rooms I've looked into so far.

Chiba-san, Chiba-san, Chiba-san, I thought while opening one of the doors.

Wow, I just sounded like a freaking contestant in a TV show.

"Hino-san? What are you doing here?" Chiba-san suddenly appeared beside me—what? I now officially condemn this house as cursed. Confused? Well so am I. I mean, people are appearing out of nowhere, suicidal-like ice cubes are glaring at inanimate objects like eggs, and oh, goody! I'm trapped here, too!

"Anyways, Chiba-san, I was wondering if I could make some coffee downstairs…"

"Why didn't you ask bocchama-sama instead? He is the one in charge of the house, after all." She said while picking up some of the clothes that dropped from the clothesbasket. "Or did he tell you about his limited perfection?"

Limited…perfection…?

"I'll take that as a no then. Would you like me to tell you?" I nodded my head. "You see, bocchama-sama has always strived for perfection in the field of music. He practiced at least sixty hours a week and he didn't bother to learn anything else." I nodded my head again, signaling to her that she could go on. "When he was fourteen, his parents left him all alone in the house because they had to attend a concert. It was dinnertime and his mother forgot to cook something for him to eat, so he decided to cook for himself… You understand where this is getting to, right?" I shook my head. "Bocchama-sama tried to cook and well, the kitchen caught on fire."

…oh my gosh.

I tried to stifle my laughter. Tsukimori, ice cube, Mr. Perfection, wasn't so perfect after all! Come on, Mister I-am-better-than-all-of-you can't even cook!

"Do you smell that, Hino-san?" Chiba-san suddenly asked me, her old yet gentle face showing a bit of distress.

"No…" I responded.

"Oh no, did you tell bocchama-sama to reheat anything?"

And then I smelt it, the faint smoke that was most probably coming from the kitchen…

"Chikushou."

--

"I'm not the one with the big ego here, Len! You could've killed all of us!" I raised my tone at him, a bit exasperated at all the replies he kept on giving to me.

"But I didn't." He nonchalantly replied again, his eyes drifting from one page of the magazine he was reading to another. He was leaning on one side of the two-seater sofa he was sitting on.

"But you could have!" I angrily slammed both of my hands on the living room table. We were currently staying there because the kitchen was full of smoke since high and mighty Tsukimori nearly killed us with his extremely bad cooking skills. I mean, who –in their sane mind- would confuse a microwave with a toaster? "Len, don't you see my point in this argument?" I sighed and then slumped down to the seat beside Tsukimori's.

"You have a point?" He tore his eyes away from the magazine and looked up at me with a skeptical look. And at that moment, I wanted to kill Tsukimori… literally.

"That's it!" I jumped at him and started to well, wrestle. I was on top of him, trying to push his big hands down while he was under me, trying to push back.

"You're acting like a puerile child, Kahoko."

"Well at least I'm not an ignorant ice cube!"

"I feel so threatened." He said dryly, his glare intensifying with every word.

Die, Tsukimori!

"Excuse me, bocchama-sama and Hino-san. Will I still cook for—oh! Was I disturbing something?" Chiba-san entered the room, fire extinguisher with one hand. She looked pleased and amused at what she was looking at…

…which was obviously me and Tsukimori.

I sighed and—sort of—got out of my position (I was now kneeling on the sofa with Tsukimori under me). Once again, I'm caught in an awkward situation with the crazy beings who occupy this house. Great! Just great.

And you know what's worse? I don't sound like myself at all right now. I sound like one of those boring narrators—scratch that; I sound like the ice cube right now.

"I'll take my leave now. I'll be upstairs if you still want me to cook." She bowed and then went up the stairs…

Leaving me and Tsukimori again…

I grunted and put my palm on my forehead. Closing my eyes and slightly scrunching my hair, I let out another sigh. "Looks like we're alone ag—"

I felt myself sliding down from the sofa…

Oh no he didn't.

_Oh no he didn't indeed._

I quickly grabbed his left arm, dragging him down with me. "Kahoko!" He exclaimed angrily while I was landing to the floor with an audible thud. "What was that?" He asked angrily.

"If someone just nicely told me to get off, then maybe –just maybe- we'd be both fine right now!" I ranted.

"Oh, and maybe if someone just accepted the other person's apology, then maybe none of us would be in this little hissy fit!" He replied, with the same amount of annoyance.

"So it's all my fault now?!"

"It was all yours to begin with."

"I'm not the one who almost burnt down the house!"

"I'm not the one who wouldn't accept others' apology."

"Ignorant ice cube!"

"Puerile child."

"How did I end up here anyway?"

"In this house or in this position?"

"In this hell hole with fluorescent lighting."

Len glared at me while I glared back. Ah, the best way to start the morning, don't you think so, too?

"Before I answer that question, can we please get out of this?" He closed his eyes then sighed… and honestly, he looks cute when he's like- stop it, Kahoko! Just tell him that you'd gladly get out of this position and then it's all over!

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"I'll stay on the floor; you go stand or something."

Now tell me where that came from, Miss Kahoko?

"Whatever," Len said, pushing his right hand against the floor, making him roll to the empty space beside me. Whoop-dee-doo. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Lying down on the floor." He stated, as if it was the most obvious question in the world. "While you were running, you slipped and then fainted. I carried you until here and Chiba-san changed your clothes. Happy?"

"I'd be happy if I wasn't here, Len."

"I pity you, then."

… do I have PMS or something? Because I am really, really, really not sounding like me at all. That, or maybe I'm just really, really pissed off…

"Thank you." I retorted back at him.

"Well you shouldn't be."

"Okay, stop it with the sarcastic remarks now." I breathed in and then sat up, another awkward silence engulfed our conversation again.

I looked around the room. Their living room was well-organized, nothing misplaced, everything was clean—what you would expect from the Tsukimori's, I guess. And soon enough, my eyes drifted to the blue-haired boy beside me. His eyes were closed and his eyebrows were furrowed a bit, as if he was in deep thought… what is he thinking about? I closed my eyes, too, wondering what in the world could he be thinking of…

_You're curious?_

Not at all.

_But he does look good when he's like that, am I not correct? He looks so fragile, so vulnerable—makes it hard to resist, huh, Kahoko?_

Not one bit.

_Next month, he'll be nothing to you. How do you think he'll react when he finds out that you've been using him all along?_

He won't—do you honestly think that he, of all the people, knows how to feel?

"I'm sorry, okay?"

I opened my eyes and I saw him standing in front of me, his hand outstretched…to help me stand up, maybe?

"You're crying and I—" He breathed in between. "Would you still like to eat breakfast?" He was looking away, a light shade of red was evident on his cheeks.

…_I'm crying_? I brought my left hand up to my cheek to see and I was, like he had said.

I smiled and got his hand. "I'm not hungry. Can you teach me how to play the violin now?"

"So you accept my apology?"

"How can I not forgive you?"

I beamed at him and he smiled ever so slightly in response.

And we stayed like that for a few seconds; no interruptions, no one else, just us…

"You two look so cute!" We both turned around and saw Chiba-san holding at least four pictures in one hand and a camera in another. "Wait until Misa-san sees this!" She gushed some more, hugging the pictures tightly like they were the most valuable things in the world. "You two are holding hands, too!"

I glanced at our hands quickly before pulling mine away from his.

Feels like there's something missing, Kahoko?

"Hey, Len. What'll you do if there was a crack in your wall?"

"Oh! And a first name basis, too! I'll e-mail this to Misa-san right away!" Chiba-san took one last picture before she ran up the stairs.

"Absolutely nothing," Len replied, his eyes wide with shock…probably because of what Chiba-san just did.

"Then I'm sure you wouldn't mind at all." I said solidly before I slammed my head to the living room wall.

Yes, this _relationship_ will really work well.


	8. Dancing with the Raindrops

**Part 2 of Day 5 = Dancing with the Raindrops**

**

* * *

  
**

"No, Kahoko. I told you a while ago that you have to keep your wrist away from the neck—" Len said as he pulled my wrist down. "Start again."

You might be wondering where in the world are we and what in my older sister's name were we doing. For starters, I'm Kahoko Hino, an innocent seventeen year old who has been victimized by a _closet metrosexual rapist—_or more commonly known as Len Tsukimori, the overly arrogant prodigy who's currently teaching me how to play the damned wooden instrument he oh-so loves to play in their really huge practice room.

And yes, you read right— Len Tsukimori is a closet metrosexual rapist.

…

Okay, so he may not be a rapist. Heck, I don't think he's ever had any interaction with any woman other than his mother and violin. But I'm quite sure that he _is _a closet metrosexual.

"You're not listening, are you? If you're trying to think of some more ways to exploit your _false _belief of me being a closet metro sexual again, I highly suggest that you do that some other time." Len said straightly while glaring at—what else? —me. There are no eggs to glare at this time so he's making poor me suffer.

Hip hip, hooray.

"I so was not!" I lied. "I was wondering why you're making me play some piece instead of a nursery rhyme I expected!"

_Real genius, Kahoko._

Hey, I try.

"I'm not _making_ you play it; you _wanted_ to learn." He replied, being all defensive—as usual. But obviously, he was more defensive when it came to his sexuality.

"And I expected to learn things in the lines of—oh, I don't know— Twinkle Twinkle?"

"I'm so sorry if I thought you were capable of learning something else." He spat with sarcasm.

"Oh, you need not worry about that!" I laughed almost sardonically as I placed the violin back in its case. "I already forgive you!"

"Thank you." He retorted back at me angrily, placing his violin in its respective case. "_Women._" He added disgustedly.

"_Women._" I copied, exactly the way he said it. I don't know why in the world he's being sexist when he's a metrosexual. Kami-sama, what is wrong with this bipolar ice cube?! He just ticks me off and–

"Lessons are over, then." He said, locking the latch of his violin case. "Could you please leave now, I want to practice." –and I am so sick of him!

"You know what, even though I've only known you for five days, I am already so sick of your attitude! Sometimes you're this nice guy who'd do anything to help me, and sometimes you're this critic who thinks everyone else is inferior to you! I'm not even sure who you really are! I know you've had a rough past, and I know that you're lonely sometimes, but please, don't include me –or anyone else– in your problems, okay? Don't include us in your– in your miserable life!" I snapped at him…

_You did not just say that._

Len was just standing there, his normal poker face on. Yet, one thing was rather different—he wasn't looking at me. And just that lack of eye contact made me feel that my insides were being sucked out.

"Leave," he said—no, demanded—in an empty voice, almost like one of a robot's.

"I'll-- I'll be in my room." I stammered and then slammed the door behind me, not looking back to see whatever Tsukimori's reaction may be. I ran down the corridor to my room and threw myself to one corner, tears already rolling down my cheeks.

Idiot, Kahoko! Why would you be crying over a guy like him! He's not even worth your tears! Why are all these events happening so fast, anyway?

_You really didn't expect for it to reach this far did you? All you actually needed was information, and you got yourself some unnecessary accidents, gossips, and… this._

Jeez. What kind of conscience are you supposed to be?

_A smart one, but is ignored by the one who's supposed to be using me to decide stuff._

I groaned. But wasn't it true, though? No, not the part about my conscience being a complete ass; the part about Len… After everything that we've been through, I never imagined that he'd be the one I'd be with right now; come on, you don't feel like this with someone you've known for only a few days. And now— now, I'm wondering if it's possible... to fall for someone you've never actually known until now…

Kami-sama, and to think it's this entire stupid project's fault.

Why am I blaming the project? I think Kakeru-sensei's at fault for… my highly uncontrollable emotions toward the ice cube.

No, I did not just admit I liked the ice cube! I mean, I don't like him _that_ way. Kami-sama, no! I don't find him attractive in any way! I mean, have you seen his hair? What kind of guy has shiny blue hair? Does he condition it like, seven times a day? And have you seen his eyes? They're disgusting! Why are they like, so beau—disgusting! I mean, who has gold eyes?

_Believe it or not, a lot of people do._

I wasn't talking to you!

_Oh, well maybe I decided to butt in so that your sanity will be spared since apparently, you were talking to yourself like some sort of mad woman. Now, aren't you lucky to have me talking to you?_

No, I don't believe so.

_Really? You like Tsukimori-kun, don't you, Kaho-chan?_

I don't like Tsukimori-kun… I don't…

And everything went dark.

--

Itai; my head was worse than what I felt when I woke up this morning. My eyes were a bit blurry, but I noticed that I wasn't where I was a while ago when I—

Wait, what exactly did happen to me?

"Hino-san? Hino-san, ah, daijobu anata wa?"

"Chiba-san?" I asked, confused. I couldn't tell if it was her, but I knew that it was her voice. I blinked my eyes several times, testing my vision. Soon enough, her aging figure and worried expression was visible from where I was—a bed.

"Oh, I was so worried! I heard you shouting thirty minutes ago, and then I went upstairs to the practice room to find bocchama-sama with a blank expression! You should've seen him, Hino-san! He looked as if he was ready to tear his violin to pieces!" Chiba-san narrated delightedly, as if it was some sort of fairytale being read to a child.

"And then he pointed outside and told me that you went to your room. But I saw that that you were on the floor, so I called out for bocchama-sama." She breathed before she continued, "He was worried, Hino-san. His expression showed it; you're quite special to him." She looked me in the eye, her eyes sparkling with…tears?

"A-Ah! Nai te iru, Chiba-san?" She was crying! What to do?

_Oh gosh, you've made an old lady cry, Kaho! Repent! Repent while it's not yet too late!_

"Iie, Hino-san. I'm just happy for bocchama-sama to have found someone. He was never like that to any other female—not even to his fiancée candidates." She looked up at me and wiped her face with a cloth she brought out of her pocket. "Can you promise me you won't hurt him, Hino-san?"

"I, I—"

I can't. With the circumstances given, I don't think I can without telling him the truth…

"I promise."

But then again, I'm a big fat liar, aren't I?

"Thank you, Hino-san."

Ugh. I don't know who else I could possibly be fooling.

I grabbed a pillow from my left and covered my face with it, inhaling the soft lavender scent it had. Five days, right? It's been five days since I met Len. And worse, I feel like I'm slowly getting attached to him…

But no, that can't be. Once he finds out the truth, he might not be able to trust me anymore. That or he might be mad with me for not telling him earlier. What am I to do?

_It depends. Do you think he's worth it?_

…

_Is he worth it?_

"I—I don't know," I told myself, my voice muffled because of the pillow.

"You don't know what?"

"Tsu-Tsukimori-kun?" I scrambled on the bed as I threw the pillow away from me, my legs being tangled in the blanket.

_And why did you do that?_

The enemy is in the room! I'm a little helpless girl, remember? And he's the rapist!

"Kahoko," he said softly, "I'm sorry."

He was sorry! Now _that_ is funny!

He walked nearer to the bed and gently tucked some strands of my red hair behind my ear and –oh my gosh, please don't tell me I'm blushing.

_You're blushing_.

"Wh-what are you doing?" My voice quivered, a bit taken aback at his actions.

"Your hair's messy, Kahoko," he stated. "I'm pretty sure that ladies should keep their hair tidy." He smiled; my heart…fluttered? There was this jumpy reaction, and honestly, I liked it. It felt kind of wrong, but it felt right at the same time…

He continued smiling; his face looked like it was carved by angels indeed. He held out his hand to me and said, "It's getting late; we should really get you home before the rain start pouring again."

I took his hand with a bit of uncertainty and he helped me stand up. I looked into his eyes again, just like a while ago—hand in hand, eye to eye, but this time, no Chiba-san to ruin the peaceful moment…

"Let's go?"

--

"So you're still not going to ask me your last question?"

"Nope," he chuckled inwardly. "I'll find good use for it someday."

"And when will that day be? The day you die?" I said jokingly, laughing as well.

"Close to it, I guess. It'll be the day you and I have to part ways," he said in a more serious tone. "And perhaps that day's soon since I plan to study abroad."

"So you're going to leave me?" I stopped, and was saddened a bit by what he had said. "Is that definite, Len? Are you really going away?"

"Not all things that are now are definite. Those things change, _people_ change. If they decide on something, it can't always be the same forever." He stopped, too, and looked up at the dark sky. He held out his hand again and waited.

"What are you doing?" I asked him as I adjusted my bag on my shoulder.

He didn't reply, but instead shushed me. And soon enough, raindrops were falling on both of us.

I smiled cheekily. "You don't mind getting wet, do you?" I asked him.

He shook his head, the little silky beads of rain sliding on his cheeks. "I don't mind it that much."

"Is that so?" I said playfully then took his wrist and ran along the sidewalk, dragging Len behind me.

"You might slip and fall again, Kahoko!" Len scolded, while trying to catch up with me. "I don't want you to be unconscious again!" But I paid no attention to his warnings and continued to run instead, laughing like some sort of crazy cat.

"Go learn to have some fun, Len!" I shouted back at him. He suddenly smiled and stopped his tracks, making me fall back. He caught me and _laughed_. "Didn't I warn you, Kahoko?"

He did. And it didn't really matter, now did it?

So long that he's there to catch me every time I fall, I'm sure everything would be just fine.


	9. Human Nature

**Day 6 = Human Nature**

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* * *

  
**

Len Tsukimori_. His name was intimidating already, how much more in person? Especially with those penetrating bullion eyes that seemed to chase you around so often with high levels of intensity, how can you not cower and feel degraded under his gaze? It was true, though: how you could feel so inferior in comparison with him—he was just too great. _

Perfection _was something that he appeared to have had naturally. No, it was not what he was destined for—he was already gifted with it. A lot of girls would throw themselves at him if it wasn't for his brash way of dealing with them. He was, irrefutably, better than everyone in, and probably everyone who went to, Seiso. Money wasn't much of a problem for him since his parents were two of the best renowned musicians in the world who would earn a lot for their concerts and tours. Everything seemed to be _perfect_._

Flawed_ was what he was underneath the superficial layer of perfection that overlapped everything else that could ruin the chances of it shining through. Because underneath it, you'd see that he was human just like you and me. He had to appear godly in order to look perfect—that, he has achieved. But just like everything else in life, it had a price. He was _lonely_._

_We met awkwardly; not the way I had planned out. I spent the morning practicing what to say to him in front of a mirror. It was late and I guessed that we were the only students left in the school. I was outside, beside the lake behind the music department, waiting for him to finish practicing. I could see him from where I was; the windows of the room he was using were open and the music that he created from pressing the bow on the strings echoed. Growing impatient, I decided to go upstairs myself. But just as my luck would have it, I slipped into the lake and would have drowned if Len Tsukimori didn't come to save me._

_At first, he was reluctant to accept my offer of friendship. It made me think that he had some weird disorder that made him push people away. He was lonely, wasn't he? I knew that; everyone knew that. Perhaps he just embraced it as a part of his so-called perfection? If that was so, then I guess I've done an impressive feat: he welcomed me. It's been only a few days since then, but I really feel something happening between us. _(Dear Kakeru-sensei, if you're reading this right now, I did not mean it that way.) _I learn a lot from him and-I guess-vice versa. I feel as if we'll be really, really great friends—_

--

No. You know that's a lie. A really great lie that would not appease your culpable conscience once he finds out that you've been using him for some project. Does it matter if it makes up the majority of your grade? That's still no excuse to reject the fact that a person-even Tsukimori-kun-has the capability to feel and emote. You said so yourself in this report, didn't you? He's _human_, just like you and me. And for you to disregard that—what does that make you? He treated you as one; he was nice to you, wasn't he? But you—what did _you_ do? What did he do to deserve what you did—

--

I turned off the screen and pushed the keyboard back. _I couldn't take it_. _I couldn't write about him without feeling any sort of remorse._ But no, I can't just randomly tell him—I still need more for this project. I'm pretty sure it would make up for my Math grade on my average… I can't think clearly right now. I guess I'll just sleep the day away—that's it. I'll sleep through my life; when I wake up, maybe—just maybe—I'll finally be free.

.

.

* * *

Well here's a short chapter that should suffice for Day 6. The supposed title of this chapter was _'Lighting Matches_' because of it's figurative meaning. But then I thought that '_Human Nature_' was more fitting because of what we usually do because of social statuses created even generations before us. Plus, I edited the previous chapters so take a look and tell me if you like them more than the old ones or not. Also, tell me what story should I update next. :)

**OH! Please do read and review the story of my friend, _.Streiter. Destiny. Miseki._ , Daddy For Sale! **I beta-read that so tell me what you think about it, too. I like the story plot and I hope you do, too! :)


	10. Almost There

**Day 7 = Almost There**

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**

"So I welcome all of you back to Seiso! I'm pretty sure you've had your fair share of the rough weather, but I assure all of you that the school is sound, no damage whatsoever to the structure, and that your classes will resume normally and will not be delayed any further—"

"Then why the hell are we still here?" Nao sneered, nudging both Mio and me. "You think we could maybe grab a bite later somewhere? You know, us girls only?"

I rolled my eyes at both Nao, who was slightly smirking, and Mio, who had her hardcore hopeless romantic face on. "He only walked me till outside—"

"And then he gave you his jacket!" Mio cut, frustrating me some more. I looked at both of them, wondering why I had the two most inquisitive and nosy people as my best friends.

_Oh yeah, because they're okay when we're not talking about boys._

"You know what, I think that we should really stop talking about him—"

Again, Mio cut me before I could finish. Ugh. "Is he gay? Maybe that's why he...walks like that. Did you notice it too, Nao? And when he talks, it's like he's too...refined? Is that the term for it? No, I think it's what you call over-sophistication. And it sort of comes out like he's gay."

I glared at the empty seat in front of me, not daring to transfer it to Mio. "He's not gay, okay."

"Then is he a metrosexual?" Nao peered from beside, putting a calming hand on my shoulder. "What? You're the one who knows him, not us. We're just...curious."

And curious is an understatement.

I smiled slightly, remembering what he _was_ to me the other day. "Yes. Yes, he is, Nao."

Nao and Mio both giggled at that. And I guess I chuckled a bit, too. We all looked back in front to the director, who continued to discuss the storm safety precautions plus some new cases in the departments. I yawned—this morning's _so_ boring.

"Kaho-chan?" I heard a squeaky voice call and felt a light tap on my shoulder from my right. "Kaho-chan? Um, I think Amou-san wants to talk to you or something."

I looked behind Mio and saw Nami there, holding an envelope. I excused myself from Mio and Nao and walked towards Nami.

"You two are getting kind of sweet. Hmm, is there something going on now? If there is, I declare myself as a bridesmaid," she whispered as we walked down the aisle leading to the door. I dreaded the thought, actually. To be married to someone who appeared to care not so much outside.

"I don't think I'll get married to him in the future; I just don't see him—him, of all people!—with me," I sighed. "And once I'm finished with Kakeru-sensei's project, I guess I'm going back to my normal routine before I met him."

Nami halted and put her hand on my shoulder, pulling me back gently. She was taller than me by an inch or so, so I had to look slightly upward. Her big pretty eyes showed mostly sincerity and sympathy—not for me, but probably for Tsukimori. I bit my lip to stop myself from having to say something I might regret.

"Kaho-chan, I know you don't mean that."

_And maybe she's right._

Maybe she isn't.

"You don't know what I mean and what I don't mean, Nami-chan," I said bluntly enough to make it sound cold. "But I do mean this. I'm going to submit my project as soon as I'm done, and you've been a really great help in making this so much easier for me. You can't stop me, you know." A sharp intake of breath followed as I blinked to stop tears falling. "The project is due in two weeks, I think."

"And you have enough for it?"

"I think so. I'll finish it this week, and then I'll enjoy myself with him until I can't anymore. If I tell him the truth now, I don't think I'll be able to finish the project properly."

"You could've just—"

"I know I did it wrongly, okay?" I snapped at her, tears already sliding down my face. My voice echoed lightly in the corridor; Nami bit her lip and looked at me pitifully. "I know I screwed up. I know that it wasn't supposed to go this way. I know I'm being a manipulative liar—a bitch, if you want to call me that. I know he doesn't deserve this. But, honestly, what was I supposed to do? I'm failing my other subjects—did you know that? And I can make up for my grades through Kakeru-sensei's class, but this stupid project is in the freaking way of everything that's left of my sanity, okay?"

"Kaho-chan." Nami seemed to struggle for words. "I'm here to help. I'll be here for you no matter what since I'm your friend—remember that, okay? I'm sure that he'll find it in himself to forgive you for what you did."

"You-you don't understand, Nami-chan," I took a breath and leaned against the wall. "He-he opened up to me. Don't you know him?—he's the ice prince of Seiso. You don't know how hard it'll be for him when he finds out that perhaps his only friend—ugh, other than his violin—didn't befriend him for the right reasons."

"And you do? It's never too late to right a wrong. He'll have to forgive you eventually. He likes you," Nami giggled. "He really likes you, don't you see that?"

"He doesn't," I huffed in my defense, my tense shoulders finally loosening up. "He's too nice for me."

"So what, you're a bad girl now?" Nami joked, laughing. From where I was, I can see her lip gloss shining against the light as she chuckled. I laughed along, too. "See, you know him better than anyone."

"Such a shame I—" but before I could continue, the bell rung and the big auditorium doors swung open. The students were in two organized lines (one for each department) and none really interacted. Nami smiled at me, waved and got in the line. I couldn't do the same because I was on the other side and...are they looking at me?

They are. I saw Nao and Mio walking in their line, giving me a look that simply said that it must suck to be me. I sighed and slumped my shoulders, lowered my head and bit my lower lip to avoid eye contact with any of them. It's hard because you can literally feel them staring at you. I tried to look at their shoes instead, but it only made me feel...uncomfortable and insecure.

_Oh, it's Tsukimori-kun!_

"L-Len—!"

_And look at him walk away and ignore you. If you can't handle how it feels now, Kaho, I doubt you will in the future. _

He _was_ walking away, and he totally ignored me. I don't even think that he bothered to look my way—assuming that he did know I was here, which I am sure is true because...because he's Len and he just has this thing for finding me when I am in awkward situations, damn it. And I _did_ call his name! Really, he, he _chose_ to ignore me!

_You're acting up, Kaho. Calm down, students are looking._

I think I'm going to die.

* * *

"You didn't greet me a while ago."

"I don't think it's your birthday today."

"Yeah, but you didn't even greet me."

"I don't think you need to greet someone when it's not their birthday."

"Len," I said, losing my patience. "You could've at least said hi or something in the lines of that! You know, because I was just a meter away from you at the corridor and all?"

"Are there rules to this friendship thing...?"

I groan out loud, exasperated at how clueless he is. "Really, Len, _really_?"

"_Kaho_." Admittedly, my name sounds really nice when he's the one who's saying it. "I have no idea what you're talking about. We should really just get going because I need to practice. Saotome-sensei, he—"

"Whoever he is, he needs you more. Fine, fine—our friendship doesn't matter as much as your violin stuff. We've already gotten past the formal name calling and the monosyllabic responses, but I guess that I won't be as good for you as your violin. Okay, I've accomplished that since day one anyway, so whatever," I paused, hoping to add a _dramatic_ effect to whatever impromptu monologue I can come up with. "I—"

"Is that a confession?" he asked. For a few seconds, we were, if put bluntly, staring at each other. It was just..._awkward_, I guess.

"What exactly did I confess to?"

"That you actually planned to be my friend."

"..._no_."

He huffed and rolled his eyes. "Did you intentionally fall into the lake?"

"No! I don't even know how to swim! I—You asked me if I deliberately wanted to disturb your practice and um, I didn't even know you were still there, really."

"Then what were you doing at the music department at that time, _Kaho_?" He was torturing me, I swear. He already looked intimidating and all, but this was just too, too scary.

"Walking around. Is that so wrong for me to do?" _Weeeell_, _that_ was a lie.

"I really wanted to know you, though," I said the half-truth. "It just really didn't happen the way I wanted to."

"How would you have preferred it?"

"It doesn't matter. It's not like you can change the past, right? Just—enjoy right now, okay? We're friends. You and me against the world if you want to," I told him. He stopped walking and so did I. "Is there anything wrong?"

"No, we're here. Your next class, remember? You asked me to walk you until here when you pulled me out of the practice room to talk or whatever you wanted. Did we accomplish that?"

He is too adorable, I swear that I might die inside because of him. He's impassive and all, but he's just so, so..._Len_. It was too hard to hate him for what he does.

"Can we talk later? I really want to—"

"Kaho-chan has prior plans, Tsukimori-kun. Gomenasai!" We both turned our heads to the direction of the voice, Mio's, and saw her and Nao smiling. "Unless, of course, Kaho-chan plans to ditch us both for you again. We don't really mind, but—"

"No, _Hino_ is all yours this afternoon. I've committed the rest of the day to practice." Pfft, more like you committed your whole life to it. I frowned at him, though, because he called me by my last name—not that I'd prefer for him to call me Kaho in front of Mio and Nao. Imagine how mortifying that would be when they start to tease me _again_.

"Thank you, Tsukimori-kun!" Mio said rather too enthusiastically. He nodded in acknowledgment and walked away with his violin case, back to the music department. Everyone, _everyone_, got out of his way. I couldn't help but smile, though, as if..._love-stricken_. He was charming and sweet, but at the same time intimidating and cold. I felt special because it was only to me that he was like _that_.

"Okay, Kaho-chan, take that stupid goofy grin off your face and get in the classroom," Nao said, chuckling with her low contralto voice.

Mio, on the other hand, squeaked and asked, "Did you see that, Kaho-chan?"

"See what?"

"His metrosexuality!"

And so, I left Mio, who was still in her fit of high-pitched giggles, at the corridor.

* * *

**Note:**

Okay, so this is really, really late. I hope y'all forgive me, but I'm really failing my studies right now and I can't distract myself so much anymore. :( And um, I guess I'll make it up to you guys somehow. I just don't have that figured out yet. I will be editing the earlier chapters, too, and stuff.

Chapter 69 left me in a fit. Stop kicking Len out of the story! My heart is seriously breaking heree!

I love you guys, so inspire me and give me reviews. :) Point out errors, inconsistencies, vague ideas, etc. :)


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